(Story courtesy the Augusta GreenJackets. File photo Mike Adams/Augusta Good News)
KINSTON, N.C. – One hundred fifty-seven days after Augusta opened the year with a win over Columbia, the 2023 season comes to a close with a resounding 8-0 win in Kinston.
The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) got five shutout innings from Samuel Strickland and three-run homers from Cam Magee and Kade Kern to take an 8-0 victory over the Wood Ducks (Texas Rangers) on Sunday. The Wood Ducks (29-37, 66-61) were held scoreless in their final game before postseason play, while the GreenJackets (32-34, 63-68) closed the season by winning their ninth game in their final 12.
The GreenJackets looked to close out the 2023 season with a win, which would also secure them a series victory in the process. After going scoreless in the first, Augusta broke through against Luis Ramirez in the second. Dawson Dimon brought in a run with men on second and third, before a two-out error scored the second run of the game.
Samuel Strickland made the start for Augusta and hardly broke a sweat. After allowing an infield single to the leadoff man in the first, Strickland retired the next 14 men he faced (including a double play), keeping the Wood Ducks off the scoreboard through all five innings of work. The GreenJackets added three runs in the fourth on Cam Magee’s second homer of the season, as Augusta extended the lead to 5-0.
LJ McDonough worked a scoreless sixth, before Kade Kern added a trio of runs on his third homer of the season and second of the series. Up 8-0, the game became academic. Cory Wall and Zach Austin dealt shutout seventh and eighth innings respectively, before Chad Bryant came in and worked a shutout ninth to wrap up the season.
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